Page 107 of Shielded Heart

Simultaneous explosions at several doors filled the corresponding feeds with static; he heard their roars echo distantly through the corridors outside his room.

Arcanthus’s heart skipped a beat when he realized that Samantha, his sweet, precious little flower, was in the lounge—nearly on the opposite end of the compound from him, but only twenty meters away from the main entrance.

Only twenty meters away from Vaund and the Syndicate.

* * *

Samantha flashedKoroq and Razi a triumphant grin as she pulled the credit chips toward her growing pile. “I win. Again.”

Koroq groaned and threw his hands up in frustration. “Never should have taught her to play!”

Kiloq snickered, leaning back in his chair. “No chance ofeverwinning now. The terran’s too good.”

“Beginner’s luck,” Razi muttered. “It’ll run out. Eventually.”

Thargen barked laughter and took another swig of his drink. “You’re just pissed because you got knocked off the top of the hill, cren.”

Razi frowned, brows falling low over his piercing blue eyes. “No. I’m happy for the competition. Not like any of you ever gave me a challenge.”

“That’s cause you’re a cheat,” Koroq said.

“I don’t cheat. You’re just too dumb to understand the game,” Razi growled.

Koroq pushed himself up, but Kiloq—grinning as though he enjoyed the spectacle—stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Hedoesn’tcheat, Kor. You just suck.”

“You’re not any better,” Koroq said.

Kiloq shrugged. “Don’t want you to feel bad, so I lose on purpose.”

“No you don’t, you lying—”

Someone cleared his throat; Sam looked toward the doorway to see Drakkal standing just inside the lounge with his powerful arms crossed over his broad chest—his signature stance.

“Everyone’s getting along great,right?” the azhera asked.

“You always spoil the fun,” grumbled Thargen. “I was just about to start taking bets on who’d win the fight.”

Samantha chuckled. “We’re playing Conquerors. Do you want to join us?”

Drakkal dropped his arms to his sides and strode to the table, glancing down at the stacks of credit chips in front of the players—not that anyone had much left, apart from Razi and Sam. “Might be tempted to when Arc gets here. It’s more fun when I know he’s losing, too.”

Excitement thrummed inside Sam. “Arc is coming? Is he finally taking a break?”

“He’dbettercome. He agreed, and I gave him a deadline. He’ll be late, because he always gets distracted, but I think he’ll get here eventually.”

“He’ll come,” she said.

Thargen laughed. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll becomingall right, but it won’t be here.”

Samantha blushed, ducking her head, but a faint smile tugged at her lips—because Thargen was likely right.

Though her gaze was averted, she swore shefeltDrakkal glare at the vorgal.

“I think you’re the only reason he’s left that room at all over the last week, Samantha,” Drakkal said. “He’ll come. Time just works a little different for him. I said ten minutes, so he’ll be at least half an hour.”

“It takes time to look this good,” Razi said in a voice startlingly similar to Arcanthus’s.

Samantha laughed. “That was pretty good, Razi.”

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